Software Testing Limitations

August 16, 2018

Whenever we talk about technologies and some processes, every process has set of limitations or drawbacks. Even in the software development, different approaches limits themselves to some extent. Software testing which is an inherited part of the whole software development process also possess some limitations. Read and explore areas and aspects, where software testing lacks to deliver the results.

We use testing to disclose many hidden errors but this methodology never guarantees the absence of errors. It is only used to identify the known errors. It never gives any information about those defects which remain uncovered.

Testing do not provide you any help when you have to make a decision either “you should release the product consisting errors for meeting the deadline” or “you should release late by compromising the deadline”.

Software testing does not predicts or estimate the proper functioning of the product under different conditions, but it may prove to be helpful in delivering the information w.r.t. Incorrect or improper functioning of the product.

While injecting the defects, software testing unable to find the root causes which may help in placing defects at the first place. Identifying the root causes of defects/errors helps in injection of defects for future purposes.

Testing cannot be done against system requirements. We also cannot detect any errors in requirements or ambiguous requirement leads the complete testing process to inadequate testing.

When it comes to major constraints like Time & Budget, it requires attentive planning of test effort. Mostly, we compromise in between thoroughness and budget at the time of testing.

Manual Testing Limitations:

GUI object size difference and color combination are the two essential measures which are very difficult to find by using manual testing. Manual testing process is not suitable for large scale projects and limited time projects. Comparing huge amount of data will be unrealistic in terms of manual testing.

It requires more time and resources to accomplish quality goal. Many times, it requires both.

When it comes to performance testing, it seems to be very impractical in terms of manual testing.

With manual testing, it possess least accuracy.

Executing recursive tests again and again take too much amount of time which lead to project delay and incomplete testing.

GUI object size difference and color combination are the two essential measures which are very difficult to find by using manual testing.

Manual testing process is not suitable for large scale projects and limited time projects.

Comparing huge amount of data will be unrealistic in terms of manual testing.

At the time of software maintenance, processing of change requests takes huge amount of time.

Testing Tools Limitations:

Unrealistic expectation from tools.

Many times, testers make mistakes by underestimating factors like time, cost, and effort for initial introduction of tool.

Testers repeated the miscalculation of time and effort required to achieve prominent amount of benefit from tool.

Testers underestimate the effort required to maintain the test assets which are generated by tool.

Testing teams are too much dependent on tools.

Conclusion:

Although, software testing is a gigantic process and comprises of several limitations, still with effective and proper strategies along with the efficient utilization of tester’s skills and testing tools, most of these limitations may be overcome to achieve and maintain the desirable quality level in a software product.